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Bronx Marriage License & City Clerk Wedding: The Complete 101 Guide to Getting Married at the Bronx Courthouse

  • Jul 10
  • 7 min read

Getting your Bronx marriage license — and married at the Bronx City Clerk's Office — is one of the most affordable, refreshingly simple ways to legally tie the knot in New York City. The Bronx office is also the least crowded of the five borough Marriage Bureaus, which makes it a genuine hidden gem. After 15+ years photographing elopements and City Hall weddings across all five boroughs, I put together this complete 101 guide: how to get your Bronx marriage license, the exact address and hours, the full cost, how to book through Project Cupid, what actually happens on the day, and one important rule almost no one online states clearly — professional cameras are not allowed inside.


Here's everything you need to know.


Candid documentary film photographer NYC couple on Bronx courthouse steps after ceremony

Where Is the Bronx City Clerk's Office?


The Bronx City Clerk's Office (the Bronx Marriage Bureau) is located inside the Bronx Supreme Court / Bronx County Courthouse at 851 Grand Concourse, Room B131, Bronx, NY 10451. It's a grand, historic 1930s civic building — the imposing columned courthouse you've probably seen presiding over the Grand Concourse — and the marriage office is on the lower level in Room B131.


Hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30am to 4:00pm. It's closed weekends and city holidays.

Because the office sits inside an active courthouse, you'll go through standard courthouse security screening on the way in — metal detectors, bag check, the works. Build in a little extra time for the line.



How Much Does It Cost to Get Married at the Bronx City Clerk?


The total is remarkably affordable — $60 all in:

  • Marriage license: $35, paid when you apply (credit card or money order made out to "City Clerk")

  • Marriage ceremony: $25, paid when you arrive to the ceremony

That's it. No venue fee, no officiant fee, no hidden costs. For a legal wedding in New York City, $60 is about as accessible as it gets.



The Step-by-Step Process


Getting married at the Bronx City Clerk's Office comes down to two appointments: the license, then the ceremony. Here's the full sequence.


Step 1: Apply for your marriage license through Project Cupid

All NYC marriage services run through the City Clerk's online portal, Project Cupid (nyc.gov/cupid). There are no walk-ins — every visit is by appointment only, and you must have a confirmation email to enter.

New appointments are released three weeks out, on Mondays at 9:00am EST sharp, and the popular slots can go quickly, so set a reminder. You'll first fill out an online application with both partners' details (full names, addresses, parents' names, and any divorce or death certificate info if either of you was previously married), then pay the $35 fee. For a complete walkthrough of the application itself, see this step-by-step guide to applying for a marriage license in NYC.


You can do your license appointment in person at the Bronx office, or virtually — many couples choose the virtual option so they only have to make one trip to the courthouse (for the ceremony itself).



Step 2: Wait 24 hours


New York State law requires a 24-hour waiting period between when your license is issued and when you can legally marry. So you cannot get your license and marry the same day at the Bronx City Clerk (unless you obtain a judicial waiver, which is uncommon) — more on that in this guide to whether you can get married the same day in NYC. Plan for at least one full day in between.

Your license is valid for 60 days from issue (180 days for active military), so there's plenty of flexibility on timing once you have it.


Step 3: Book and attend your ceremony

Schedule your ceremony appointment — also through Project Cupid — at the Bronx office. On the day, bring:

  • Your marriage license (the most important thing — don't forget it)

  • Photo ID for both partners (passport, driver's license, or state ID)

  • One witness, 18 or older, with their own photo ID (required)

  • Up to four guests total are generally allowed

  • The $35 ceremony fee


You'll check in, wait to be called (the experience is a bit like a calm DMV, but make it romantic), and then the clerk performs a short civil ceremony — about two minutes. You'll sign the certificate, and you're legally married. The official marriage certificate is typically mailed to you within about 4–6 weeks.


No witness? If you're eloping just the two of you, ask your photographer or, in many cases, ask around inside the building — but it's best to arrange one in advance so there are no surprises.



The Camera Rule Nobody Tells You About


Here's the single most important thing this guide can tell you, because the internet is genuinely vague about it: professional cameras are not allowed inside the Bronx City Clerk's Office.


The office is inside an active courthouse (the Bronx County Courthouse), and courthouses prohibit professional photography equipment as a matter of security policy. This isn't a Marriage-Bureau-specific quirk; it's a courthouse rule. So even though you might see beautiful "City Hall wedding" photos online and assume a photographer can come inside with you, in the Bronx, that is not the case with professional gear.


What you can do: phones are fine. So when I photographed a couple's Bronx ceremony, we knew we didn't have an official response about this and we improvised — I documented the actual ceremony moments on a phone (which is allowed, like any guest), and the second we stepped outside the building, I switched to my professional camera and we did a fun Bronx photo session around the courthouse grounds, the Grand Concourse steps and columns, and the surrounding streets. It worked nicely, and the contrast between the candid phone moments inside and the cinematic camera work outside told the story perfectly.


The takeaway: plan for your professional photos to happen outside the building, before or (more commonly) after the ceremony. The Bronx County Courthouse is stunning on the outside — grand columns, sweeping steps, classic NYC civic architecture — so you lose nothing by shooting there. Just go in knowing the real camera comes out once you're back in the open air.




What to Wear to a Bronx City Clerk Wedding


There's no dress code, and couples run the full range — from full wedding gowns and suits to a simple white dress and a sport coat. A few thoughts:

  • The ceremony is short and the building is a working courthouse, so comfort and ease of movement help.

  • If you're doing photos outside after (you should!), think about how your outfit will look against the courthouse's grand stone architecture — soft whites, creams, and classic tailoring photograph beautifully there.

  • The Grand Concourse can be breezy, so a couple shooting outdoors in fall or winter may want a chic coat or wrap for the in-between moments.



Why Choose the Bronx Over Manhattan City Hall?


Manhattan's Marriage Bureau at 141 Worth Street is the famous one — and because of that, it's also the busiest, with the longest waits and the most crowded waiting room. The Bronx office is far quieter and easier to get an appointment at, while the legal process, the cost, and the result are identical. You're just as married, for the same $60, with far less of a crowd.


You do generally apply in the borough most convenient for you, and any NYC borough office can issue your license, so if you live in or near the Bronx, or you simply want a calmer experience, the Bronx City Clerk is an excellent choice.


(Prefer a different borough? I've got full guides to Getting married in the five boroughs, the Queens City Clerk and a breakdown of Manhattan vs. Brooklyn City Hall too.)



Making a Day of It: Where to Take Photos Near the Bronx Courthouse


Since your professional photos happen outside, it's worth knowing what's around. The Bronx County Courthouse on the Grand Concourse is itself a dramatic backdrop — monumental columns, wide stone steps, and Art Deco detailing. Within a short distance, you also have Joyce Kilmer Park and the Lorelei Fountain directly across the street, and the broader Grand Concourse with its historic architecture. For couples who want to extend the celebration, the Bronx has the New York Botanical Garden and Arthur Avenue (the "real Little Italy") not far away for a celebratory meal.

I always encourage couples to think about what feels meaningful to them — but if you want a beautiful, low-key, distinctly New York backdrop right where you got married, the courthouse grounds more than deliver.



A Note on My Approach for Bronx Wedding Photography


A courthouse wedding is small and fast — which is exactly the kind of day I love to document. My work is documentary and storytelling-first: I'm watching for the genuine moments, the laugh before you walk in, the way you look at each other right after you sign. The Bronx camera rule just means we get a little creative: phone moments for the ceremony, the full cinematic session outside, and the result is a full story of the day!




Frequently Asked Questions about Bronx Weddings and Bronx Marriage License


Where is the Bronx City Clerk's Office for weddings?

It's inside the Bronx Supreme Court / Bronx County Courthouse at 851 Grand Concourse, Room B131, Bronx, NY 10451, open Monday–Friday 8:30am–4:00pm. Appointments are required through Project Cupid — no walk-ins.

$70 total: $35 for the marriage license and $35 for the ceremony.

Not with a professional camera. Because the office is inside an active courthouse, professional photography equipment is not allowed inside. Phones are fine, so couples typically document the ceremony on a phone and then do professional photos outside the building afterward.

Everything goes through Project Cupid at nyc.gov/cupid. New appointments are released three weeks out on Mondays at 9:00am EST. You apply for the license first, then book the ceremony separately.

Yes. New York State requires a 24-hour waiting period between when your marriage license is issued and when you can legally marry. The license is then valid for 60 days.

Yes. One witness aged 18 or older, with valid photo ID, is required at the ceremony. Up to four guests total are generally allowed.

The ceremony itself is about two minutes. The full visit, including security screening, check-in, and waiting, usually runs 30 minutes to an hour depending on how busy it is.

Generally no, because of the mandatory 24-hour waiting period. Plan for at least one full day between your license appointment and your ceremony.



Ready to Document Your Bronx Courthouse Wedding?


ARE YOU PLANNING A BRONX CITY CLERK WEDDING OR COURTHOUSE ELOPEMENT? Are you in need of a Bronx wedding photographer? If yes, I'd love to capture it — the real moments inside, and the cinematic celebration outside on those gorgeous courthouse steps.

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